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Fair Market Value Update – Five Pound Banknotes (1954 & 1960)

Series: Coombs – Wilson | Era: Commonwealth / Reserve Bank Transition 

Design: Sir John Franklin – Primary Industry & Aboriginal Motif | Denomination: £5 (Australian Pounds) 

1. Historical Context The 1954 Five Pound note introduced the final pre-decimal high-value design featuring Sir John Franklin on the front and a Primary Industry and Aboriginal artefacts mural on the reverse. Issued first under the Commonwealth Bank and then under the Reserve Bank of Australia, approximately 309 million £5 notes were produced between 1954 and 1966. Because £5 represented a significant amount of money, most notes circulated hard, leaving relatively few problem-free high-grade survivors. 

2. Current FMV Benchmarks (Nov 2025) All valuations below represent weighted Fair Market Value (FMV) averages derived from confirmed and reliable sources.

3. Primary FMV Drivers: 

1. Grade Progression – Each step from VF to UNC adds compound value; EF→aUNC remains the sharpest increase. 

2. Prefix Positioning – Commonwealth vs Reserve prefixes are treated separately; first, changeover and final prefixes form distinct FMV tiers. 

3. Eye Appeal & Originality – Untampered paper, fresh colour and minimal folding outperform pressed or cleaned notes in the same technical grade. 

4. Certification & Provenance – Graded examples and notes sourced from established dealers support higher FMV and easier resale. 

4. Market Momentum

 Demand for verified 1954 and 1960 Five Pound notes has firmed over the past 12–18 months, with mid-grade stock absorbed steadily and aUNC–UNC examples tightening as collectors focus on final-paper £5 issues. Across dealer sales and updated online guides, FMV in the higher-grade bands has moved roughly 10–15% since late 2023, particularly for attractive Reserve-era prefixes. 

5. roBBie Kovak™ FMV Position Our Fair Market Value benchmark rejects catalogue fiction. All £5 assessments use verified data, for Coombs–Wilson issues, rather than outdated catalogue values. Collectors can rely on this as the current FMV standard for 1954 and 1960 Five Pound banknotes.